Building Closet doors - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

orson · 08-13-2008, 08:04 PM

I have a customer who doesn't want to pay the dough for nice pine louvered bifold doors so he wants to make his own doors.

He wants to take a flat panel and attatch moulding to it to simulate a raised panel door. Anyone have any suggestions on what material to use for the flat panel? I suggested MDF, does it have enough dimensional stability?

andy builds · 08-13-2008, 08:07 PM

MDF would be fine for this just box out the interior with 1X and skin with the MDF... Double up the top and bottom to make it 2X and you should be good to go

**Double-A** · 08-13-2008, 08:18 PM

Why not just gussy up some lauan hollow core bifolds?

orson · 08-13-2008, 08:39 PM

Because the customer is obsessed with "solidity". He'll spend a grand on a faucet but $450 for a 6 foot bifold is too much, go figure.

I was thinking more along the lines of using a solid 3/4" pieces of MDF w/ the mouldings nailed on. Hopefully I won't throw my back out installing it.

**Double-A** · 08-13-2008, 08:44 PM

That is going to be a lot of weight to hang on bifold hinges.

Does he really want to push an pull that much weight around just to pick out a shirt and tie each morning?

neolitic · 08-13-2008, 08:45 PM

And the pivots will just drill into
the fiber board?
That ought to work out fine.

I like it.
Not like there's any weight there
or anything.

orson · 08-13-2008, 08:50 PM

I was planning on trying to procure the same hardware that comes with solid core birch faced bifolds.

All the hardware screws on and is a lot sturdier.

Honestly Double-A, I dunno. This guy was an engineer for NASA and he is one wicked smart guy, however, sometimes he just overthinks things.

PS-Neolitic, since this is my thread we can hijack it with our vest discussion. I tried the vest out but everything falls out every time I bend over. What do you do about that? I pretty much shelved it and figured I'd try it out again later. It's just hanging in my trailer.

neolitic · 08-13-2008, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orson

I was planning on trying to procure the same hardware that comes with solid core birch faced bifolds.

All the hardware screws on and is a lot sturdier.

Honestly Double-A, I dunno. This guy was an engineer for NASA and he is one wicked smart guy, however, sometimes he just overthinks things.

PS-Neolitic, since this is my thread we can hijack it with our vest discussion. I tried the vest out but everything falls out every time I bend over. What do you do about that? I pretty much shelved it and figured I'd try it out again later. It's just hanging in my trailer.

Hmmm, havent had that problem too often.
I mostly don't wear it zipped though.
Is it the chest pockets?
What do you keep in there?

Tom R · 08-14-2008, 10:20 AM

There are lighter-grade versions of MDF available, - - I'll be using one called 'ultra-light' for painted cabinets soon, - - check your local supply yards or your local wood shop . . .

Tom R · 08-14-2008, 03:47 PM

However you design it, - - keep in mind that although MDF is dimensionally stable, - - it doesn't have a good holding power for screws.

neolitic · 08-14-2008, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom R

However you design it, - - keep in mind that although MDF is dimensionally stable, - - it doesn't have a good holding power for screws.

That was my point (maybe too subtle),
even with Johnson hardware rather than
the cheap drill in pivots, there isn't
much holding in the edge of a piece of
MDF.
Maybe one could edge it with 1X rips?
The whole concept seems nuts,
save on material and spend it in labor

but then he's an engineer, so....

orson · 08-14-2008, 06:08 PM

He's retired and does woodworking as a hobby so I guess it's no loss for him to do it.

Back to the vest....

It was the chest pockets and the pockets above the hanging pockets. Can you post a picture of your rig w/ tools in it? I was thinking about making some hardwood blocks to hold my bits and attatching them at their top to the vest so if I bend over they just swing away at the bottom.

My small pry bar, chisel, glue bottle, stud finder, speed square and pliers all go flying too.

Tom R · 08-14-2008, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neolitic

That was my point (maybe too subtle),

Sorry about that, - - I answered without reading the whole thread . . .

neolitic · 08-14-2008, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orson

He's retired and does woodworking as a hobby so I guess it's no loss for him to do it.

Back to the vest....

It was the chest pockets and the pockets above the hanging pockets. Can you post a picture of your rig w/ tools in it? I was thinking about making some hardwood blocks to hold my bits and attatching them at their top to the vest so if I bend over they just swing away at the bottom.

My small pry bar, chisel, glue bottle, stud finder, speed square and pliers all go flying too.

I ain't digital...no pix.
I'll have to look at the new vests, but
speedsquare, cats paw and small flat bar
stay put in the big back pockets.
Mine has kind of slots in the left chest pocket.
where I keep nail sets and a chisel.
There are slash pockets behind the chest pockets
where I keep note pad, and tuck other small stuff
if I'm gonna be bent down a lot.
Like I said last night, I usually wear it loose/unzipped,
maybe that helps too?
.

neolitic · 08-14-2008, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom R

Sorry about that, - - I answered without reading the whole thread . . .

Like I said... subtle

Oh hell, snide really.

embe78 · 08-19-2008, 09:01 PM

im tired and not sure if i understand correctly.I do it all the time take a plain door and the make 1,2or3 boxes on it .I use ogee moulding base cap ect put some type of glue like liqued nails and then nail it up with my 18 gauge